At Lepakshi in the Anantapur region of Andhra Pradesh stands the Veerabhadra temple, a jewel of Vijayanagara art built in the sixteenth century, dedicated to Veerabhadra, the fierce form of Shiva. The temple is famed the world over for its wonders: a great hanging pillar that rests barely touching the ground, magnificent ceiling murals among the finest of the Vijayanagara age, and, nearby, a colossal monolithic Nandi carved from a single boulder.
Tradition links Lepakshi to the Ramayana as the place where the noble bird Jatayu fell after his battle with Ravana — and where Rama, tradition holds, said "Le, Pakshi" (rise, bird), giving the place its name. A masterpiece of art and legend alike, Lepakshi is among the most remarkable temples of the South.
